Thomason Hospitality Group Opens Ninth Pita Pit

March 2018

When I started the Sneak Preview in July 1986, the first thing I did was walk up and down 6th Street selling ads. It was slow going, but I still remember walking into Carl’s Jr. and talking to Dave and Doneta Thomason, two young “kids” who were operating their first franchise. They were working the front register and the kitchen, doing hands-on work to help the business grow.

And boy, did it ever. Dave Thomason is a true testament to the entrepreneurial spirit of this county, with ownership of over 50 locations of multiple brands in the quick and full service restaurant sectors, with past experience working with various franchises including Carl’s Jr, Elmer’s Restaurants, Human Bean Coffee, Taprock NW Grill, Blimpies and Kenny Rogers Roasters.

Last month, Thomason Hospitality Group, which employees over 600 people, announced they would be opening their ninth Pita Pit restaurant.

“Over the last year, we went from owning one Pita Pit to nine,” Dave said. “What ultimately drew me to Pita Pit was the brand’s unique, healthy and fresh options offered in a quick-service setting.”

Building on this momentum, Thomason was recently named Chairman of Pita Pit’s FAC, a board of franchisees from around the country representing the entire Pita Pit system. Thomason’s new role comes from years of experience in the restaurant industry.“Pita Pit is a great concept— it offers a unique ability to quickly have delicious and healthy food served in a quick environment,” Dave said. “Pita Pit is entering an era involving a number of advancements and upgrades within the system, which will all lead to great things for the brand. I am excited to be involved in these improvements and bridge the gap between the franchisees and corporate, acting as the voice and helping provide operational and marketing feedback.”

Within every FAC board, no matter the franchise, the ideal Chairman is someone who understands the business from both the franchisee and franchisor perspective. It did not take long for Pita Pit corporate to realize Thomason was the perfect fit. “This is not my first experience being in a position where I am able to represent franchisees while communicating concerns to the franchisor,” he said. “I think this role is extremely important when it comes to franchise operations. My goal is to make sure we as the franchise advisory council listen to what the franchisees have to say in our respective regions and bring those ideas and comments to the franchisor. I will become a mouthpiece for what is going on in each region and how that relates to what is happening on a national scale.”

While Thomason was elected to be Chairman of FAC by the other franchisees from across the country, the corporate team could not be more excited about this announcement based on Thomason’s years of restaurant experience.

“Dave brings a wealth of knowledge to the team, both as a franchisee and as the FAC Chairman,” said Peter Riggs, President and CEO of Pita Pit. “He has seen the good, the bad and the ugly, and we are confident that he will be a huge asset as Pita Pit goes into 2018. He will be able to bring franchisee challenges to the surface, and work with us as we continue to improve and evolve our concept into the future.”